Recently, I found myself exploring Jaén. Jaén is a city that is just about an hour North of me in Granada. These days, I do not have tons of money to travel to big, extravagant places. However that is okay as I live in Europe. There are so many neat places to see only a few hours from where I live. So exploring Jaén was one of those closeby but awesome trips.

The dress

As most of you all know, I’m the girl who is always wearing a dress. I love traveling in my dresses and wear them all year long. So when I was exploring Jaén with my friend Sharifa, I of course opted to wear a dress. I had found this grey dress at a shop in my neighbourhood in Granada called Humana. It looked perfect for a work setting or really just anything. I loved the buttons on the front too.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself at plenty of weddings and also in several weddings over the last several years. I suppose it’s because I’m 29 and everyone but myself (okay that’s an exaggeration) is getting hitched. The thing is, I’m not one of those bitter people. I really, REALLY love weddings. I love wearing dresses and love any excuse to wear one! Furthermore, when my friends ask me to be their bridesmaid, I’m overjoyed. I love being there for my friends and helping them in any way I can.

So when Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood approached me about a wedding style collaboration, I of course said yes. In fact, there are six of us collaborating today! This dress is absolutely perfect for a wedding and in a less-expected color: green! I love dark green and feel like I look best in it, so I had to order this from Modcloth. In fact, I had been eyeing it for about a year before purchasing it.

Ah Ibiza. A little over a month ago, I was wearing my sundress in Ibiza. The weather was absolutely perfect. Now I sit in my apartment in Granada and it is quite cold outside! Winter has arrived in Spain! And while winter here will be way more mild than what I am used to in the United States, winter is here nonetheless. I am for sure excited to wear lots of boots and tights with my dresses. However I will miss all my sundresses. They are comfortable and easy to wear. This one is one of my favorites.

When I was in Ibiza with my friend Shola, we thought this made for a lovely backdrop. I am a big fan of green, after all. If you wish to read more on my Ibiza adventures, you can check them out here and here.

Hello friends! I am happy to inform you that I have my new go-to dress. When making the move from the United States to Spain, I had to leave behind many of my dresses. I opted to bring with me only a small roll-on bag, a duffle and my backpack. In fact, this Instagram photo here shows all that I took. In retrospect, I’m glad I packed light. And everything I brought, I have put to good use!

So minimalist moving ways have allowed me an excuse to shop (and I don’t really that’s how minimalism works … oh well)! Spain’s department store or their version of Macy’s is called El Corte Ingles. I luckily or unluckily live only a 2-minute walk away from one of their two locations in Granada. So I of course have made my way through their racks. I stumbled upon this and just had to.

A day in Andujar

These photos were shot in Andujar, the town that my friend Shola teaches English in. I decided to venture out of my big city of Granada and see what her town was all about. I had more of a fun time than I was expecting! We met great people, ate great food and stayed out a little too late.

The thing that always amazes me about Spain is that even small towns feel “urban,” as we Americans would define it. People still choose to live in apartments over houses with a front and back yard. People still choose to walk rather than drive. Life in the town centre is still lively. And you really cannot say that for most small towns in the United States. Here are a few shots of Andujar:

If you are planning a trip to Spain, Andujar is worth a bit of your time. Or if not Andujar, small town Spain is just such a neat experience. I feel like you get a sense of the real culture.

The last day

We shot some by this amazing graffiti wall.

Have you explored small-town Spain or small-town Europe? What were your thoughts? which do you prefer?

Welcome to my first Spain photoshoot: part 2. As many of you know, I made a big move across an ocean and now live in Granada, Spain. I cannot believe it’s been over a month. I moved to Spain on September 22nd. It’s crazy to think of how fast time has flown by! Life sure has been busy as I’ve settled into a life of working 12 hours at a school, teaching 12 hours a week of private English classes and blogging. I know I’ll find myself in a nice rhythm in no time.

I have found many pretty dresses and want to share them all with you. My new roommate keeps joking that I won’t be able to take everything back to the United States (that is if I return). This is one that I just love. It’s comfy and cozy. I found it at a little boutique in Spain called Trilce as I was exploring the city. I love discovering new little spots and hidden gems.

My new friend Jana and I met up in Carmen de Los Mártires. This beautiful park overlooks the city of Granada. When we shot this look, the sun was just starting to set. It was absolutely perfect.

The photoshoot

Have you had the chance to see Spain or Granada yet? If so, that did you end up seeing? I’m still adjusting to new life here and am exploring all the things … so I’m always curious to hear what others may recommend.

Hi, my name is Nancy and my blog is Nancy’s Fashion Style and today I am guest blogging for Nina. Nina’s blog is called a World of Dresses. And as the title suggests, she always wears dresses! How awesome is that! She has even raised money for a charity with her dresses. Doing well Nina! I think Nina is a powerful woman, she recently moved to Spain to work there and learn the language better. I think she has her social life on the roll in no time. It’s fun to follow her adventures there. She’s also planning on visiting Amsterdam so we could perhaps meet with each other. How crazy is that! I would love to meet you Nina!

Guest bloggers wanted!

I stated it a few times in my blog that I’m looking for guest bloggers. I want to include a series of woman, don’t have to be only bloggers, who want to talk about their style. It’s not going to be an interview. Just a nice story of how you came to your style, how long do you have this style, were did you get this style, why do you love your style etc. And it would be nice if you add pictures of your style that reflects your personality. If you are interested you can send me an email via the contact page. I’ll set an example and hope you find this so much fun that you want to join!

My style

My passion for fashion appparently started very early because my grandparents told me long time ago a story: I was four years old and I could pick out some new shoes. And I just wanted black patent leather shoes! Nothing else. There you have it! When I was in my puberty(14) I began to develope my style. Not that I wore pencilskirts at that age, lol, but I began to love music that nobody else in my environment loved. It started with The Cure, then Siouxie & the Banshees and more New Wave, hardrock and Punk. And if you loved this kind of music you wore black. So while friends walked in colorful dresses, I wore black. Black clothes, big earrings, big hair! No scarves, necklaces, or brooches, just gold colored big earrings.

Hasn’t my style changed over the years?

Over the years my style changed in lots of pencilskirts and dresses. Always a bit fussy with a cool item( don’t know if that is correct), what I mean is a pencilskirt with a studded belt for example. That’s what I liked and still do. I sometimes wore gray or brown but my wardrobe concisted almost exclusively of black garments and golden accesories. Since blogging more color came into my wardrobe. And I like color now, but when I wear a black outfit I feel most myself. I still wear almost no accesories, often or larger earrings, or bracelets but almost never at the same time. In terms of shoes my tast stayed almost the same. I was and am fond of ankle boots and preferably with a nice heel, but because my lung capacity is not very big, I keep my heels not to high. And what does my style say about my personality? I don’t like a mess, I want everything clean and organised, I know exactly what I do and do not want, I have a strong will, I never walk away from a challenge, I’m not easily approachable( well, I am but people think I’m not!) and I’m not the easiest person to be with! Duh.

I thought that my lovely Jaén dress would be perfect for today’s post. Today I am teaming up with Ada over at Elegance and Mommyhood to co-host her weekly linkup called Thursday Moda. What is a link-up? I’m glad you asked! It’s basically a fabulous blogger party where bloggers are invited to share their latest and greatest! You can find all the details on how to participate below!

Ada is a blogger who I’ve been following for some time now. This is also the second time I’ve helped host her lovely link-up! Just like me, she loves dresses. However unlike me, she’s married and is the mother to an adorable little girl. Her daughter often makes appearances in her posts about mommy and me fashion. Make sure you go check out her blog Elegance and Mommyhood, and leave some comment love!

The Jaén dress

Jaén is a beautiful small city just about an hour North of Granada, which is where I live. Last week, I had my orientation meeting for my teaching job in Jaén. I am employed to teach English in Spain through a program called Auxiliaries de Conversacion. Said program doesn’t give you 100% pick of the school you work in. Like it’s not like you apply to a bunch of different schools and see which one takes you. Instead everyone fills out the same online application and indicates their top three choices for the autonomous region they would like to live in. You getting your top choice depends on when you applied. So when I applied, I made sure my entire application was sent in the day it opened up.

The region of Andalusia was my first choice and I got it! However I picked it because I wanted to live in Malaga or Sevilla. Malaga has the beach and Sevilla is just well … amazing. Another thing about this job is that the second years in the program get first and more specific pick of where they want. Like we can just put down the regions and they get to pick the community. So many of them are putting down those cities because well … duh. So if Andalusia is your first choice as a first year, you’ll probably get it and get placed in a town like Jaén or an even smaller pueblo.

My school is in a super tiny pueblo about a 35-minute drive from Jaén. So this summer, I initially connected with the English teacher at my school and made plans to ride with her each day. I knew nothing of Jaén but was optimistic that I’d have a great year. After all, an adventure is what you make of it.

Then around late August, this same teacher contacted me to tell me she had transferred schools in order to be closer to home. However one of the teachers for the next year was living in Granada and she asked me if I would rather live there instead. I barely had to think about it … yes please! Granada is beautiful and one of the only cities in Spain where you get free tapas when ordering a drink at the bar. There’s amazing history and culture. It’s less than two hours from Malaga (where the airport is). It was a no brainer. So Granada it was and is. I’m currently writing this in my apartment in Granada and am so happy I made the choice to live here!

The orientation

So since I am employed by the state of Jaén (Granada is in the state of Granada), I had to attend orientation in Jaén. Afterwards, myself and some fellow English teachers decided to spend some time exploring the city. It was absolutely beautiful.

This dress made the cut when deciding what to pack for a year in Europe. I ended up packing more lightly and could only bring maybe 12-15 dresses. But this one I knew I’d wear a lot. It’s one of those dresses that transitions well into fall and winter. And I’ve been told that it gets cold in the winter.

The Linkup

LuLaRoe shopping has been all the rage lately. I feel like I get invited to a new LuLaRoe party every week. And I must say that as someone who almost exclusively wears dresses, I love LuLaRoe. In fact not one but two LuLaRoe dresses came with me to Spain. However unless you happen to stumble upon a LuLaRoe booth at a fair, festival or event (which is more likely in the summer anyway) and find something you like, LuLaRoe shopping seems to exclusively be on Facebook. Unlike other companies, there’s not really a central website where you can shop. But not to fear! I’ve complied my 4 tips to ensure you some LuLaRoe shopping success.

1. Join LuLaRoe groups on Facebook

So first, let me explain to you how LuLaRoe shopping works. Independent consultants each have their own LuLaRoe business (think the Mary Kay or Pampered Chef of ridiculously cute dresses, skirts and leggings). Each one I’m sure has her own style of running her business, but I find the majority of them have Facebook groups. In these Facebook they’re always posting about new products, new parties where you can shop and fun discounts.

In order to shop you have to be online when their shop is “open” which usually means during a party. You have to comment on the photo(s) of the items you want. When the party is over, your lovely consultant sends you an online form to fill out with payment and shipping information, and then she e-mails you your invoice. Once that’s been processed she either ships you the item(s) or you can arrange to pick it up if you live closely. Each consultant works from her own inventory and most likely does this to keep control of everything.

Unlike other companies, I’ve found that LuLaRoe consultants are not at all offended if you shop with them and other consultants too. In fact both dresses I own came from two different consultants. So start by joining a Facebook group or two. Don’t know any LuLaRoe consultants? Luckily these ladies are all over social media. You will find hundreds of them on Instagram and Facebook. All of these ladies would gladly let you in because well … it is a business after all. I am a part of these three Lularoe groups: Shop LuLaRoe with Krista McClelland, LuLaRoe by Lauren Yinger and LuLaRoe Mandy Cavanaugh. I’m sure any and all of these ladies would love to have you as a part of their group!

2. Make note of days/times for parties and open shops for best LuLaRoe shopping

So I actually learned this one the hard way. I was super excited when I got invited to my first online LuLaRoe party several months back. I had discovered LuLaRoe while at an event last Spring. So I was excited and ready to shop. Unfortunately my busy schedule made me forget that I had a LuLaRoe party to attend. Fail.

Normally when a consultant is having an online party or open shop, she lets you know in advance so that you can plan. I’d suggest making an event on your calendar on your phone with a nice little reminder. Then either ensure that you are at home or in a place with working Internet. And if you make my mistake, just stay tuned for the next party. Just join a few groups and I’m sure there will be another one happening soon!

3. Develop a relationship with your consultant

When I bought my first LuLaRoe dress, the consultant didn’t actually list that particular dress at the party. I had already done a little LuLaRoe research of my own and knew I wanted the Amelia dress the most. I loved the material and the pockets. So I was a little bummed when my consultant Lauren Yinger didn’t list any Amelia dresses. So I decided to ask her if she had one. She did not but contacted some of her consultant friends and found me several Amelia dresses to pick from. That level of customer service really impressed me. This is said dress. I LOVE the cassette tapes.

These ladies want to help you be the most happy you can be with LuLaRoe. So if you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to ask them!

4. Wear your LuLaRoe out!

So this is another cool story! Before I left for Spain, I had a job where I’d run a display table for two different companies at fairs and festivals. It was good weekend work and probably too much funnel cake. One day, I decided to wear this cassette tape dress to work. A woman walks up to me and silently hands me a little coupon. It said “spotted in LuLaRoe … you get $5 off” or something along those lines. This consultant apparently keeps those with her as she’s out and about, and hands them out to women wearing LuLaRoe. So you never know … you could get a sweet coupon if you wear your LuLaRoe out.

Have you done any LuLaRoe shopping? What has your experience been?

Photos were shot in Gatlinburg, Tennessee by my best friend. You can read all about our Gatlinburg adventures in these two blog posts here and here.

Oh my vintage Gatlinburg dress. This dress was one I found on a whim. I just happened to be exploring the town of Yellow Springs, Ohio, when I found this for $9. Often times when I pick something off the rack in a vintage or second hand shop, I worry if it will actually work out. What if it is too small? What if it fits awkwardly? Well this one fit just perfectly, so I had to buy it!

As some of you may already know, I spent my last weekend in the United States in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I had a voucher for a hotel discount and Gatlinburg is right is the halfway point for my best friend and I as she lives in Charleston, South Carolina. It seemed fitting that I chose honestly one of the most obnoxious cities in the United States for my last weekend. I mean sure, Gatlinburg is fun. But it is so ridiculously hokey. I’ll admit that I love to mock it.

The dress

The dress is comfortable and has this cute little bow on the back. The material was a tad hot for a nice, warm day down south. But overall, I love it. And I ended up taking this dress with me to Spain!

What we did

When in Gatlinburg, you can do many things. For us, the two main things we did were drink wine and try on cowboy boots. And if I had a place to wear these and space in my luggage, I may have considered buying them. However I did not.

I love how they give you a nice vintage Gatlinburg feel. Like before the tourists discovered the place.

After the boot shop, we found a nice winery beside a cute little creek. It was called The Winery At The Old Mill. We had the chance to sample a few and then we enjoyed a glass on the deck. Fun fact about Gatlinburg: you can actually try lots of wine for free. You can even get a little stamp card and you get various incentives for visiting different ones. It’s called the Rocky Top Wine Trail and you can read about it here. I wonder how much wine was a part of vintage Gatlinburg.

Hello, everybody! My name is Shelbee and I write the blog Shelbee on the Edge. I am so excited to be guest posting for Nina today as she is getting herself settled in Spain! I am an over 40 stay-at-home mother of two boys and two cats. I also am an Army wife. We currently are stationed at Fort Drum in the northern reaches of New York State where the summers are short and the winters are long, cold, and very snowy. I decided to start blogging during my husband’s deployment to Afghanistan last year as a means to reclaim some of the sanity I have lost trying to raise these boys in the midst of this extraordinary military lifestyle in this curious climate of the North Country!

My blog provides a welcoming forum for like-minded women and mothers to stop by to give and receive support and helpful insights into surviving this crazy, beautiful life. I discuss topics such as Army life, parenting, fashion and style, and mental health. In my little space, you are free to express yourself without judgments and showcase your own unique style without fear. Here’s hoping we can all find our own individual voices in each area of our lives. While I may teeter on the brink of sanity (and midlife), I still find ways to hang on and feel fabulous in the process! I would love it if you would stop by for a bit and feel inspired!

I have been following Nina’s blog for about a year and I so love her style and all of her fabulous dresses. I was so honored back in June when Nina asked if I would like to collaborate with her and 5 other bloggers on styling our Little Black Dresses. You can read Nina’s post here and my post here. I was equally excited when Nina reached out to me again and asked if I would guest post on her blog while she is making her big transition. Of course, I was more than happy to oblige in helping out a fellow blogger. And the only request she had was that I style a dress! Fortunately, I had this adorable little green number just hanging around begging to be worn!

I bought this dress on a crazy last minute shopping trip in search of a semi-formal dress (you can read about that craziness and see the semi-formal dress I chose here). During the insanity, I spotted this dress and I have always wanted to have a little green dress. There was one left, it was my size, it fit perfectly, and it was 50% off. So, of course, I took all of that as an omen that this dress was meant to be mine. The fate of said dress was confirmed when I styled it for this post and my husband’s jaw hit the floor! We are now planning a special date night specifically to showcase my little green dress! (But you all saw it first here!)

The dress is sleeveless which you cannot tell (obviously) because I layered a cardigan over it. There is a criss-cross pleated detail at the neckline that doesn’t seem to lay quite right. It was super annoying to me, so I added this adorable black and white polka dot cardigan which I think created a vintage feel. I was digging that retro vibe, so I stuck with it and mixed up some other black and white patterns in my accessories. My thin belt is white with black speckles (the dress came with a skinny nude belt which pairs perfectly with strappy nude heels). And I am loving these black and white plaid kitten heels! I wore green drop earrings and a vintage initial bracelet on a green leather strap. Other than the flower in my hair, I don’t think it needed any other accessories.

Well, except for my umbrella and sunglasses! It was one of those rainbow kind of days when we photographed this dress. You know, the days when you need both sunglasses and an umbrella. Because the sun is in your eyes when you are facing one way and the dark gray clouds are threatening you from the other direction. But every body knows that you cannot appreciate the sun without a little rain! And you cannot have a rainbow without both!

I hope you all enjoyed my little post and maybe found some outfit inspiration for a rainy day. I wish Nina all the luck in the world in her new adventure and I know she is going to be just as fabulous in Spain as she has been in Cincinnati! Thank you so much, Nina, for sharing your space with me today on A World of Dresses!

Outfit details:*This is not a sponsored post and I have not included any affiliate links herein.

Welcome!

Hello! My name is Nina and I'm an American living in Spain! In short, I'm the girl who travels the world in a dress. I love traveling and fashion. I'm wearing a dress about 95% of my life. So come follow along as I explore the world!

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